The Coldest Heart
by ameliarose32
Summary: Jayce x Elise
1. Cold Water

_If you have been following my account, you may know that about two years ago, I created an Elise and Jayce fanfic. Well, here it is again, but completely rewritten :)!_

A man likes a lady with legs.

That's what they'll tell you, anyway. Usually, when a man sees my real legs, he goes pale and runs away like he's seen a ghost. Which isn't very surprising, considering that I have rather unconventional legs.

But there was one very special man in my life who was different, and this man did not mind my legs. He was named Jayce, and he was strange. In fact, he was even stranger than me, and let's just say that I am really, really strange. How we met was a funny story. It was before I turned into who I am today. I am a monster today, but back then, I was just like you. I had human legs, dark brown eyes, and of course, a human heart...

Move on to the next chapter. Take a seat next to me, take a sip of wine (or what appears to be wine), and hear my story...


	2. The Beginning

Elise looked up into the hot sun, her eyes squinting in its glare. "Well, this is where you'll be staying, young lady," Ms. Bottom, an old lady with gray hair and large glasses, said firmly. "This was the only host we could find for you." Elise blinked a few times, and then nodded quietly. "Yes, I understand," she replied. "It must be hard, anyway... I know a lot of people have lost their jobs in the recession..."

"Mmmhmm," Ms. Bottom replied, her lips firm as they walked up to the large and imposing steel gate. Behind the gate was some sort of house combined with a laboratory. The building had a modern look, with a multitude of clear windows that reflected interesting devices on the other side. Elise's new host, or sponsor, seemed to be very rich. The house looked like it was at least three stories tall. She felt her nerves curling up but quelled herself to be calm. _Just relax_ , she told herself. _He's the one who picked you, remember_?

When Ms. Bottom pressed a button in a touchpad next to the gate, a voice answered. "Yes?"

"Hello, is this Mr. Jayce speaking?"

"... Yes."

"This is Ms. Bottom, your friend from Piltover's Charitable. I am here with Elise, your new hostee for the time being. We're both very, very excited to meet you!" Ms. Bottom's lips curled into a smile, revealing yellow teeth stained from years of coffee binging.

The voice turned instantly friendly. "Great," Jayce replied. "Well, come on up."

The gate buzzed open, and Ms. Bottom exchanged a look with Elise before the two of them walked through the steel gates that now sprang open. Elise wondered why there had to be such large gates here... was it for show, or was it to keep something out? Or maybe to keep something in? It took them a few more minutes to walk up the path that led to a pair of steel double doors. One door was open, and Elise had to admit, the man standing at the door waiting for them was very handsome.

He was tall, and over six feet. His black hair was a little unruly, but it gave him a fond, boyish look... or maybe a mad genius look. Jayce was, after all, dressed in a lab coat type of outfit. He wore gloves and his face was rugged and handsome. He looked like someone who belonged on a magazine cover. She swallowed the lump in her throat and followed Ms. Bottom shyly.

"Hello," the man reached his hand out and shook both of their hands. When he shook Elise's hand, his eyes glinted and she thought she spotted some emotion there. But what emotion, she did not know. "Hello," Elise smiled back shyly. "I'm Elise, it's good to finally meet you..."

His smile was kind, friendly, and warm, like warm tea on a cold rainy morning. "And it's a pleasure to meet you, Elise." She locked eyes with him a moment, and realized how deep his eyes were. This was a man who had many secrets.

"Thank you for being a host!" Ms. Bottom said. At her interruption, Elise quickly looked away and down at the doorsteps, where a trail of spiders trailed around the steps. Interesting, Elise thought, where are all the spiders going? I've never seen them line up that way before. Jayce invited the pair in, and when Elise saw the foyer, she was impressed. The foyer was a high-ceilinged room filled with all sorts of interesting devices and inventions. They were things that she had never seen before, steely instruments that decorated the walls.

"Wow!" Ms. Bottom said gaily, when Jayce invited them to the kitchen, where he fixed them a pot of tea. He reached over and pressed a button, and soon, a small robot rolled out on wheels with a plate of hot pastries. Elise's mouth watered at the smell of warm, melting chocolate. She timidly thanked the robot (even though she wasn't sure if it could even speak or hear her), before taking a pastry. Mmm. It was delicious. Looking around the place, she felt her spirits lift. This was a beautiful home, although a bit disorganized. It was intimidating, with all these strange devices lining the walls and the counters, but still... it could've been worse, right?

Plus, her host seemed to be very trustworthy and kind. He sat down in front of them and began sharing about why he wanted to be a host. "I've always wanted to help others," he said. "It seems like Piltover needs all the help it can get right now." Elise nodded slowly, feeling more and more at ease. Ms. Bottom looked beyond charmed. After thirty minutes had passed, Ms. Bottom stood up and thanked Jayce. She shook hands with Jayce and then Elise, before her beady eyes took one final look at the place.

"Let me walk you out!" Jayce said, getting up from his seat. He pushed his chair in, then his dark eyes looked at Elise. "Would you like to help me show Ms. Bottom out?"

"Yes, please," Elise smiled.

Jayce and Elise walked the old lady back out to the front. "You be good, Elise," Ms. Bottom said. The sun was setting behind her shoulder, and in just a few minutes, it would be nightfall. Elise wondered where she would be sleeping tonight.

"I will," Elise said. "Thank you for your help, Ms. Bottom. I um, appreciate your assistance."

"You're welcome. Do not disappoint me."

With that, the old woman was gone, and the cool steel doors shut behind her. At this, Jayce turned to Elise. He smiled warmly. "Let's take you to your room."

"Yes!" Elise grinned happily.

And with that, the two were off...


	3. A Trail of Spiders

She woke up to the sound of birds chirping. It took her a while to remember where she was. She sat up in her bed, and her eyes looked around her room. It was modestly sized, with a queen-sized bed in the middle. A lovely painting of doves hung on the pastel blue walls, along with a desk and a computer, which Jayce had purchased just for her. There was also a bookcase lined with fiction books and some nonfiction. He had turned to her and said that he didn't know what types of books she liked, but if there were any she wanted to read, he could get it for her. It was very nice of him, but a part of her couldn't help but wonder why he was being so nice.

Was he really just a good person?

She got out of bed and surveyed herself in the mirror. Elise had dark black hair that fell around her shoulders, and dark brown eyes. Her face was heart-shaped with high cheek-bones. A black dot crawled around her neck, and she jumped, realizing it was a small spider. Instead of crushing it, she simply flicked it off her skin.

After getting ready for the day, she went to the closet and opened it to find her clothes from yesterday, freshly laundered (although how they got there, she didn't know). A cute blue dress also hung on one of the racks. She took it from the rack and glanced at it. The dress had white trimmings and pearl buttons. It was really cute, but not really her style. She dug further in the closet and found a dark black velvet dress with cap sleeves. Red, peculiar buttons lined the neckline, and she saw that these buttons were in the shape of a spider. Now, this is better, she thought. She quickly changed into the dress and surveyed herself in the mirror, feeling pleased with what she saw.

When she walked downstairs, she smelled coffee and bread. Jayce was already having his breakfast. He grinned when he noticed her, and invited her to sit down. When she did, he reached up and poured her a cup of coffee, then gave her a generous helping of scrambled eggs, toast, and bacon. "The best breakfast in the world," he said cheerfully. She grinned, and said "yes, it is!"

"I trust you'll be able to make it to my party this Friday?"

Elise glanced up, biting on a croissant and was then struck by the look in his eyes. When their eyes met, he quickly looked away, and she felt something pool in her stomach. She put down the croissant and asked "what kind of party is it?"

"A nice little gathering for people in my err, community," he grinned, a sparkle in his eyes. Elise took a sip of coffee to swallow down her croissant, as he went on to say "you'll like it. It's going to be a very fancy event, everyone's going to be dressed in suits or dresses."

"Ah, but I don't really have a fancy dress," Elise said automatically.

"I'll buy you one."

"No, you shouldn't," she laughed, feeling a blush fill her cheeks. "You're too kind."

Before she could hear him reply, a sinister voice whispered ' _he just wants to taste you_ '.

She dropped her cup and coffee spilled all over the counters. "Ah, crap! I'm so sorry!"

"It's okay!" Jayce held up his hand as Elise got up.

Eiles glanced at the stain again, and realized that somehow, the coffee had disappeared. "Where did the coffee go?"

"The counter sort of cleans itself," Jayce chuckled. "You'll see... there are a lot of weird things in this house."

"You have an amazing mind," Elise said, sitting back down. "How do you think of all this stuff?"

A dark look filled his eyes, and he simply said "I have a lot of time on my hands." After a brief silence, they went back on the topic of the dinner party. "So you'll go then?"

"I don't want you to buy me a dress, though," she looked around the house. "You've already brought me into your home."

He reached out and his large hand touched her shoulder. "I want to."

He grinned, his eyes twinkling in the morning sunlight, and Elise couldn't help but stare quietly. He said, "don't you think you're worth it?"


	4. Revelation

Elise spent the next few days looking for a job, but times were hard. Opportunities in Piltover were scarce at this time, and citizens were crying out for a new mayor. People were crying out for many candidates... some suggested that Caitlyn, the current sheriff of Piltover, should be mayor. Others were suggesting Jayce. The time was perfect for Jayce to become mayor, especially since his large dinner party, hosted at Piltover Hotel, was set to take place in just a few days.

On the day of the party, Elise was working in the garden. It was a cool morning, and the grass was wet with dew. She was bent over a rose bush, clipping away at the roses. She looked down and noticed that spiders were all over the soil, which was strange. A chill ran down her spine. Spiders were everywhere in this house... when she woke up, she saw a giant black spider in the corner of her room, resting in the corner of the room. Although it was very nefarious looking, she didn't feel threatened by it. It seemed that at Jayce's house, spiders were just a fact of life...

At this, she glanced down and noticed something silver glinting in the soil. It was a spider web. Frowning, Elise inched closer, her pale hands brushing away some leaves. She bit her lip when the pad of her index finger grazed a thorn, but then her breath stopped when she saw an intricately woven spider web. The webs spelled PROPHET. Her heart beating wildly, she jumped to her feet, blinking a few times to make sure that what she saw was real. It was.

Something crunched in the distance, and she wheeled around and saw Jayce. He looked tired, his dark brown eyes weary and his black hair falling over his handsome face. "You look like you've seen a ghost," he said. She smiled nervously. "There are a lot of spiders here..." He took a step forward, and she sensed something was different between them.

"What's going on?" he asked. "Why do you look afraid?"

She pointed to the spider web, and he frowned. "It's just a spider web."

"You don't see the words?"

She turned back to the web and saw that it was now just as a tangled web. There was no word there at all.

"I need to take a seat," she said, shaking her head.

"Let's go inside for some lunch," he replied.

They went into the kitchen, where a plate of neatly cut sandwiches waited for them. A pot of tea also sat on the glass table, with two fine China cups sitting beside it. Jayce and Elise talked briefly about their day, and then Elise noticed a strange silence. Jayce was staring out the window, his eyebrows furrowed. "Elise," he finally asked. "What do you think about me?"

She tried not to look as nervous as she felt, but finally said, "I think you're great."

His eyes watched her.

"Why?" she asked.

"People want me to be mayor..." he sighed, and sat back in his seat, brushing his hair back. "But others are saying that I'm well, crazy..."

"Crazy?" Elise burst out laughing. "You're the farthest thing from crazy, Jayce!"

"That's what they say.." he got out of his seat, and walked over to the window, where he looked out into the garden, which was covered by a blanket of sunshine. There was a pause.

"You're a good person," Elise finally said. When she uncurled her hands, she found a spider sitting in the palm of her hand. Instead of brushing it off, she let it travel across the table, where it rested into Jayce's teacup. Jayce walked back and picked up the teacup, but she lithely reached out and grasped the cup. "There's a spider in it."

He looked down, and chuckled. "It seems that there is..."

"You should probably call pest control," Elise grinned.

He shook his head. "I've only been seeing spiders recently. I can make my own system to get rid of them."

Elise's heart deflated a little, but she didn't know why. "Oh," she said. "Great.."

Their eyes met, and she couldn't look away, but finally, they looked away and started laughing. He reached out and touched a tendril of her dark brown hair. "Your hair's beautiful," Jayce said. "It feels like silk in my fingers."

She blushed hotly, looking away. "I use L'oreal..."

At this, they started to laugh again. He let go of her hair, and she caught a glance of herself in the mirror. Her cheeks were flushed, and her eyes were alive with a spark she had never seen before. It had only been a week and some days, but she found that she was, well, feeling happier. It's amazing what one person can do in your life, she thought. She watched Jayce walk over to the counter and flick through his mail, and realized that she could wanted to know him. She didn't know much about Jayce, except that he was handsome, that he had an incredibly sharp mind, and that he was kind. But whoever he was, she wanted to know him, even with his flaws.

As these thoughts passed through her head, she picked up her teacup and took a sip. He walked back over to her. "Now, about that dinner party tonight..."

"Oh, yes," Elise's eyes sparkled.

"Ready to see your dress?" he smiled down at her, and she noticed the dark circles under his handsome eyes.

"I hope it wasn't too expensive," she replied.

"I had it made for you," he laughed, and held out his hand. She waited for a moment, then took his hand.

"Well," she grinned. "Let's see it..."

When they reached Elise's room, Elise saw a dress laid out on her bed. It was dark black, with see-shoulders. The waist was taken in with lace. She loved it. "Thank you so much!" she threw her arms around Jayce, and he hugged her back tightly. "I don't know what I did to deserve someone like you in my life..."

He chuckled at this, and simply said "I'm glad you like it."

She pulled away, her eyes sparkling. "I do."

Jayce paused for a moment, then said "Elise?"

"Yes?"

"Can I show you something?"

She nodded slowly, wondering at the dark look that was now in his eyes. He said, "Before we go, I want you to try this dress on first."

"I'd love to!"

In a few moments, she emerged from her closet. The dress looked breathtakingly beautiful on her, the black a contrast against her pale, milky skin. Lace trailed on the floor, as Jayce led her out of the room, her hand in his.

"I don't want you to be afraid," he said, as they passed through a quiet hall.

"Why would I be afraid?" she asked idly. She had never been in this part of his house before. They walked into a quiet hall with paneled, smooth wood... until they approached a steel elevator. "Ready?" he turned to her.

"Yes," she said.

He pressed the elevator button, and in half a second, the doors dinged open. They stepped into the elevator, which was made of glass and looked out into the sprawling city of Piltover. The view was breathtaking, with skyscrapers touching against the bright blue sky, and planes flying overhead. "This is beautiful," she said quietly. Jayce did not reply.

The doors opened, and he waited for her to exit first. She walked out, into an unfamiliar hall that was now blanketed red, from top to bottom. There was red carpet, and dark red walls lined with black, lacey patterns. "What is this?" she asked. "Where are you taking me?"

He ignored her, until they approached a pair of wide brown double doors.

"Open it," he said.

She paused for a moment, unsure, but something inside her told her to open the doors.

Before she pushed the doors open, she thought 'this isn't what I signed up for...'

The doors opened, and she saw a rather frightening sight. There were racks of what looked like whips. A giant bed (it looked like two king beds pushed together) sat in the center of the room. There were no windows in this room. Devices lined the walls, but they looked menacing in the shadows. Her face paled, and she tripped when Jayce walked forward and closed the doors behind them.


	5. Waiting

Elise's eyes widened. "What is this?" she whispered. Jayce helped her up, and when she stood up, he sighed and looked away. "This is something that I like to do in my spare time."

She walked around the room, tracing her hands along the racks that held multiple whips and floggers. The amount of strange things that decorated this room was almost comical. She took a seat on the large bed, which was soft and comfortable, despite being so large. He sat down beside her, and intertwined his fingers. "Well, what do you think?"

"I'm not sure what the purpose of this room is for," she said slowly. "And why you're showing me this…"

He looked into the distance, and then answered "This is what I like to do." He reached out his hand for her to hold, and she looked at him suspiciously, before reluctantly taking his hand. They walked out of the rom and into the hallway.

"What do you mean, that this is what you like to do?" she narrowed her eyes, and crossed her arms. "Are you some sort of sadist?"

He smiled at this. "I am the farthest thing from a sadist."

"Then what do you call people who like that kind of stuff?"

"I enjoy taking care of people," he said, matter-of-factly. "I would like to take care of you."

She scoffed. "Take care of me? So that's why you agreed to sponsor me?"

They stood in the quiet, red hallway.

"No," he said. "I agreed to, because you need help, and I want to help you. It's up to you if you want to pursue this with me or not."

"We've only met last week."

"Yes, but you should know this now," his eyes were lit with passion, and he reached out to grasp her chin. "I want to know if we are the same type of people."

"And who's your type of people?" she said, her chin tilted as her eyes gazed up at him.

He closed his eyes, reached in and answered her question with a kiss. It was a long, slow kiss. Elise had never been kissed before, but this moment was magical. A sinister voice whispered that he had obviously had practice, but she pushed the thought away. When they released, she looked at the floor, studying the red carpet. "Are there others?"

"You're the only one…" he said, "the very first one."

A part of her was growing. She had arrived on his doorstep as a listless girl, a blank slate. But there was something inside this house, or maybe something inside of her, that kept growing and developing… like the beginning of a portrait. But what kind of portrait would it be? Elise was unsure, all she knew was that there was a dark feeling inside of her. This dark feeling told her that she was meant to be here. Her life had not started until the day she arrived at his doorstep.

"I noticed something," Jayce said, as they stepped back into the elevator. "You attract a lot of spiders."

"Only recently," Elise said. However, she started to think about all the moments in her childhood… it seemed like she had always had a natural affinity for spiders. When she was a child, many of the other young girls were petrified of spiders. Elise had never felt amazingly fond towards them, but she did not hate spiders either. "Actually," she said, trying to lighten up the mood. "I've never killed a spider before."

"Oh?" he grinned, amused. "Well, you must be a saint."

She looked outside the elevator, towards the city in the distance. "I've never seen myself as a saint before…"

"But it is strange," he said, as they walked out of the elevator and back into the hallway. He held the door open for her, and they headed into the kitchen. He said, "You do attract them, look at this right here." Elise turned and saw that a stream of spiders had been trailing behind her, almost as if they were ducklings following their mother.

"Hmm," she said. "Maybe it's genetic."

After Jayce had left for a meeting, Elise went to take a nap. She wanted to get enough rest for the party that night, and so, she was soon asleep in an hour. In her tossing and turning, she finally fell asleep.

 _I've been here before._

 _That's the first thought that rolls through my mind, as I stand on the shore of an island. This is a strange island. I hear a shriek, and look behind to see a huge shipwreck. The sky is a wicked gray, and it almost looks brown. Something sinister caws in the distance. The ocean waves breaking against the shores like steel pounding against sand. I let out the breath that I've been holding in, and turn to walk towards the shipwreck. It's just then that my foot hits something, and I look down to see a man… and this man looks very familiar._

 _His hair obscures his face, and I reach down, then try not to vomit. His face is half-eaten, and a maggot wiggles out of his eyeball. Most strangely, there are spiders crawling out of his ears. I stagger, getting up and close my eyes for a moment, grasping my chest. Don't throw up, Elise, don't throw up!_

 _After I suppress the urge to see my lunch for the second time, I walk towards the shipwreck. I can hear the sound of the ocean, but the sound sounds like a sad song. Bodies litter the shipwreck, turned this way and that. Women lay on the floor, and their bodies are gray and pale. Pearls lay scattered among the sand. Children lie face-down. I know, instinctively, that there is not a person alive. The shadows live here. I know the shadows, and they know me. We are not friends, but they know me, and so they know to stay away._

 _I close my eyes, trying to imagine how I came here._

 _What is this place?_

 _"I can't lose her…"_

 _A voice interrupts my thoughts. That voice! It sounds so familiar…_

 _"Jayce, she's not from our world," a female voice answers. I turn and see three figures in the distance. It's Jayce, and he's sitting in a boat with two other women. One of them has dark brown hair and a rather prude face, and the other has bright pink hair. All three of them are sitting there, with tensed, serious looks on their faces. "I love her," Jayce whispers. "And I can save her."_

 _The woman with dark brown hair shakes her head. "No, Jayce, you can't save her. She's not one of us."_

 _She looks up at me, and I am struck by the coldness in her eyes. It is not the coldness of female jealousy, but it is another kind of coolness. It is the type of look a mother lion gives a potential predator, it is the look that warns the predator to stay away._

 _I close my eyes, and when I open them again, I am standing in a room. This is a large bedroom, but it is heavily disheveled. Papers and books lay strewn around a large table. I recognize that this is Jayce's home, because cool inventions are propped up along the walls and along the countertops. I hear a shower running in the distance, and a warmth settles in my stomach._

 _This has happened before, a voice whispers. You were here._

 _I walk over to the window, and I am struck by the glittering lights of Piltover._

 _The shower is still running, and soon enough, I don't control my own body anymore. It moves of its own accord. I hear someone in the shower. I hear scrubbing, I hear water raining against the shower floor… and then I see him. It's Jayce, and he's showering. I see the muscular ridges of his back, which line down to his, erm, very nice looking back… and underneath, his long, lean legs. My body moves of its own accord, and soon enough, I hear a rustle of clothes. I see a red dress littered on the floor, and then I am in that shower with him. He turns._

Elise woke up, her head sweaty and her eyes wide. She inhaled loudly, grasping her chest. That dream felt so real… but it couldn't have been. Something in her head started to hurt, and she didn't know what it was, really. Her pillow was wet with sweat, and she got out of bed, then looked into the mirror. Dark brown eyes stared back at her, but they were tinged with just a hint of red. She closed her eyes, shaking her head. No, she thought, I must be going crazy.

The dream was vivid in her mind, like it happened yesterday.

"Who am I?" she asked her reflection. As if to answer, a spider crawled across the mirror. It was black and fat, with a giant red mark on its back. She reached out her index finger, and the small being crawled onto her finger, as if in a friendly gesture. The spider was the size of her thumb.

There was a knock on her door, and she put her finger down to the sink, where the spider quickly crawled away.

"Yes?" Elise opened the door, and was struck by the image of Jayce. He looked more handsome than ever, dressed in a white tux with black dress pants. His hair was smoothed back. A blue handkerchief was rustled in his suit. "Well," she said teasingly. "Don't you look fine…"

He grinned. "You'll look better when you're in your dress."

She glanced at the clock. The party was going to be in an hour. "Oh, yes!" she said urgently. "I'll get dressed very soon. Just a moment!"

"I'll be downstairs."

When she looked back at him, something in his eyes caught her. It's a look that someone gives you, and when you see it in their eyes, you know that the person truly, genuinely likes you. She smiled back at him slowly. "Okay," she finally said. "Thank you."

Before he turned away, Elise couldn't help but ask "have we met before?"

She expected him to laugh and say, of course not. But he froze for a while, then turned to look at her. There was a strange look on his face. "Why do you ask that?" he said.

She shook her head. "It feels like we have…"

He simply replied, "I'll be waiting for you downstairs."


	6. Chapter 6

The party took place in Piltover Hotel's generous ballroom. Long, buffet-style tables lined the walls. The tables were piled with generous helpings of food. There was a huge crowd of people, all of them chatting and talking away loudly. Elise felt almost intimidated, but still, there was a strange feeling that she had done this before. She couldn't shake off that feeling of deja-vu…but it must be her imagination. There was no way that she could have met Jayce before.

She was standing at one of the buffet tables, staring down at a plate piled high with shrimp.

"Looks good," a voice said.

She turned and saw a woman with gray skin. The woman had dark red hair, and red eyes. She was wearing a dark red gown with blue and yellow colors emblazoned on it. Elise smiled back.

"I'm Shyvana," the woman said, reaching her hand out. Elise shook her hand. "Elise."

"You must be here with Jayce," Shyvana said.

"Yes," Elise replied. She figured that pretty much everyone knew who she was 'with'. The thought, though, still made her blush.

"He's a good man," Shyvana replied, walking over to put some shrimp on her plate.

"He really is," Elise laughed, putting down her plate on the table. "It was very good of him to sponsor me…"

"That's what they're telling you?"

Elise frowned, but before she could say anything, a tall man walked up to them. He was wearing a dark black outfit with gold accents. A powerful air exuded from him. "This is Jarvan," Shyvana said. "My husband."

"Good to meet you!" Jarvan said gaily.

He had a good and firm handshake.

"What is it like living with Jayce?"

The three of them had moved onto the balcony. Elise glanced over and saw Jayce surrounded by a circle of people. He was laughing and talking, and everyone else listened eagerly. At that moment, he looked up from his conversation and their eyes met. She quickly looked away, back into her cup. "Very good," she said. The night air whipped against her shoulders, as her head turned to look at the glittering city lights in the distance.

"He's a good person," Elise said. "It's only been two weeks, but I feel like I have known him forever."

At this, a heavy silence ensued. Elise looked up and saw Shyvana exchange a look with Jarvan.

"By the way," Elise said, trying to break the awkward silence. "That's a beautiful necklace you have around your neck…"

Shyvana smiled warmly. "This is my collar, actually."

"Oh, collar!" Elise nodded. "Right, it's a pretty collar… the diamonds are beautiful."

Shyvana blushed warmly, and a coy smile came across Jarvan's face. Neither of them replied.

"Don't you have a collar?" Shyvana asked.

"No," Elise laughed. "Why would I?"

"Isn't Jayce your-"

A voice interrupted them. "Jarvan, Shyvana, it's always a pleasure." The three turned to see Jayce. He walked over to them, not quite looking at Elise, who felt strangely out of place.

"And you as well, Jayce." Jarvan said.

"May I join your conversation?"

"Of course," Shyvana said. "We were just talking about what a beautiful night it is."

"It is very beautiful," Jayce nodded, and his eyes met Elise's. She was struck by the warmth in them, and a smile crossed her face. He smiled back, but he almost looked tired. After a few more minutes of small talk with Shyvana and Jarvan, the two walked back into the ballroom.

"What were you talking about with them?" Jayce asked. Elise shrugged, then saw a spectacle a few feet away. A large, drunken man was laughing gaily, his hand holding a giant mug of beer. Hmm, where did he get that?

"I hope you're having a good time tonight," he said.

"I am," Elise replied. "This is a great party, and everyone looks like they're having such a good time."

He put his hand on her lower back, and she froze for a moment, remembering what he showed her this morning. Blushing hotly, she reached down and pulled his hand away. Jayce stared at her, his eyes almost penetrating, until they were interrupted by a group of people.

The party lasted until the late hours, when the waiting staff came and started to clean up the plates and empty champagne glasses. "Good party, Jayce!" a drunk and large man burped as he walked by. Jayce smiled politely. "Thank you, Gragas."

When Jayce and Elise were finally alone, he turned to her. "Why don't we do something fun?"

She smiled. "Oh? Like what?"

His eyes darkened. "I have an idea…"

A few moments later, they were in a nearby amusement park. The park had closed down, but all Jayce had to do was press a few buttons, and soon, the entire park came alive. Carnival music filled the air, and the Ferris wheel started to roll. It was cold, so he gave her his jacket.

They spent the entire night playing carnival games and going on rides. Finally, after two hours, they were both on the Ferris wheel. Elise was exhausted, and her feet hurt, but she was happy. The night air was cool, and the carnival music was soothing. "That was amazing."

Jayce nodded. "It was." Then he stopped, and asked "Elise, what was it like before you came here?"

She was surprised by that question, but said slowly, "well, I worked in a law office. I was a receptionist, but I was also going to school to get my law degree." She shook her head, resisting the urge to feel sad. "I'm still working towards my degree, because someday I want to be a lawyer."

"What about your family?"

Now she was slightly irked by his questioning, but she went on to say, "I had a sister, but she passed away…" At his silence, she went on, "she committed suicide over a boy."

He reached over and touched her hand. "I'm sorry."

She shook her head, wiping the tears away. "It's okay," she sniffed. "I'll never get past the pain of losing my sister, but these things happen." She looked up, her eyes wet. "We just have to stay strong, you know? Life happens, and it moves on, even when we don't…"

He nodded slowly, then put his forehead against hers. She closed her eyes, letting the moment fill her up inside like helium filling a balloon.

"You're a beautiful soul, Elise."

"I feel like we've met before," Elise finally said. She looked up, breaking away. At that moment, the carnival music stopped. The lights began to flicker off. She stared into his eyes, which were dark and tired. His eyes almost looked sad. "Haven't we?" she whispered.

He stared back, like he was about to tell her something.

"Hey!" someone barked. "What the hell are you two doing up there?!"

They smiled at each other, not breaking eye contact. It was then that Elise knew that she could spend the rest of her life with this person. After they got down from the Ferris wheel, the security guard gave them both an angry lecture about how they shouldn't mess around with the equipment around here. However, once Jayce pulled out a fat pile of bills, the guard quickly shut up. He pocketed the money and mumbled, "well, get out of here before I call the police."

They walked out of the amusement park, and into the quiet street, where she turned to face him. Her eyes were wide, and he reached forward and brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "Let's go home, Elise."

"Yes, sir."

When they reached the house, he led her up to her bedroom. The door closed softly behind him, and he reached out and unzipped the back of her dress. She closed her eyes, letting his fingers travel along her skin. Finally, her dress fell to the floor, and she looked up at him, waiting. He leaned forward, and kissed her on the forehead.

She felt nervous, standing there in just her undergarments, but she followed him to the bed, where they both laid side-by-side. She closed her eyes, and said "I've never done this before.""Done what?" he asked, turning on his side to look at her. She turned on her side and stared back at him, blinking slowly. "Well, I've never had a boyfriend… so I've never… you know." At this, he burst out laughing, then he reached out and pulled her tightly against him, his limbs warm and naked. "We can wait," he said.

She closed her eyes, feeling relieved. "…Thank you."


	7. INtimacy

Elise woke up the next day with a terrible headache. She walked down into the kitchen, grasping her head. Jayce was not in the kitchen, and he was not beside her when she woke up this morning. She poured a glass of water, then looked out the window, where the sun was shining.

"Enjoying yourself?" a voice asked. She turned and almost dropped her cup, when she saw the woman from the strange dream she had. It was the woman with brown hair, except this time she did not have her hat on. Her arms were crossed, and she was dressed in jeans and a t-shirt.

"Who are you?" Elise asked, putting her cup down on the counter.

"I'm Caitlyn, and you are Elise," the woman's eyes were steely cold, but at the vulnerable look in Elise's eyes, they softened. "Jayce is out of the house right now, so I thought this would be a good time to come and talk to you about something."

"What is it?"

Caitlyn glanced at the clock on the kitchen wall, then said "How did you meet Jayce?"

Elise replied that she lost her job, and she eventually went to Piltover's Charitable, where she was matched with Jayce as a sponsor. "He took me into his home," she said quietly. "And he-"

"Yes, well, none of that is real," Caitlyn walked over to her. "There is no Piltover's Charitable."

"What are you talking about?" Elise stared back at her, eyes wide. Caitlyn's mouth was a firm line, then she said "come with me."

"Where?"

"To the station, I have something to show you."

"I…" Elise glanced around her house, not knowing if she should follow this strange woman.

"Do you want to know the truth?" Caitlyn asked.

"How do I know if you are telling me the truth?"

"Don't you feel like you've met Jayce before?"

At this, Elise was quiet… and then she decided to follow the strange girl.

2.

In a few moments, they were at Piltover's police station. Caitlyn had a small office with a desk that had a laptop on it. "Take a seat," Caitlyn said. "Would you like some water or coffee?" Elise shook her head, and waited. She looked down at her hands, and noticed that her veins were tinted red. It must have been the lighting. Caitlyn pulled out a book and set it before Elise.

"Want to take a look?"

The book had the words THE SHADOW ISLE, written on it. Shadows surrounded the words, and a rather drab looking picture of an old black forest with trees and rotten grass decorated the front cover. Was this a children's book? If so, it probably wasn't very popular. When she took hold of the cover, she felt a chill, almost as if she were there. A tense silence settled over the room as Elise opened the book and flipped through the pages. The first few pages talked about the monsters in the Shadow Isles.

There was a picture of a small child reading an open book, and behind the child, there were large, sinister shadows.

 _The worst_ , the glittering gold text read, _are the shadows. The shadows will eat you alive_.

"I don't want to read this anymore." Elise shut the book, feeling her heart beat rapidly.

Caitlyn was quiet. A tense silence filled the air, and Elise struggled not to cry. She blinked away her tears, and slowly, she didn't know why, she began opening to the last pages. The page she opened to had a drawing of a large spider.

The golden words in cursive simply stated ' THE SPIDER QUEEN '.

It was then that a spider started crawling around the pages. Before she knew it, more spiders began to dot the white pages, and Elise's hands shot back to her chest. Spiders poured out from the bookspine, swarming over Caitlyn's desk. Caitlyn hurriedly got up and grabbed bug spray, and Elise felt her blood pounding in her ears. What was going on?

"Do you know who you are?"

When the room was silent, and the spiders were gone, and the book was back on the bookshelf, Elise looked up into Caitlyn's brown eyes. "…No…" Elise said, shaking her head. "But my head is hurting."

The young woman pulled out a newspaper. It was dated from last year. Elise took the newspaper from her hands and began to read an article about several people who had gone missing, presumably, to join a cult. "Why are you showing me this?"

"You," Caitlyn said quietly, "are related to this."

"H-how?" Elise got up from her chair. She looked down and realized that her fingernails had grown out, and were now sharp and almost monster-like. She glanced into the mirror and saw that her eyes were red, and her hair, which had been dark brown, was now almost pitch black.

Outside, the sky had grown gray and it was now raining.

"Elise!" a voice from the distance cried, and soon, Jayce burst into the room. His breathing was heavy. He glared at Caitlyn, furious. "What's going on?"

"I don't know what's going on," Elise whimpered. She threw herself into Jayce's arms, and he held her, as she cried.

"It's okay," Jayce mumbled. "I'll take you back home now…" Before leaving, he gave Caitlyn another angry glare.

"You can't help who you love," Jayce said, his voice seething with anger. "And you, of all people, should know that." Caitlyn blinked slowly, then said that she was trying to protect him.

"You can't protect me."

3.

When Elise got home, she found fragments in her mind. These fragments were like parts of a spider web being woven together. She looked in the mirror at her red eyes, and realized, innately, that something was changing. Yes, she was meant to be here, but at the same time, her being here was not a coincidence. It was... arranged, and not just by fate, but by something else.

That's why, during midnight, Elise stood in the shadows of Jayce's study. He was working on his report, and testing a new device. He often worked until the late hours of the evening, being one of those strange, but lucky, people who could survive on a few hours of sleep each night.

"Jayce?" Elise murmured.

Jayce started at the voice, and then he turned and saw Elise. Her eyes blinked. "Why are my eyes red?"

He looked away, twirling his pen in his hand. She loved his hands. _I've loved his hands all my life_ , a sinister voice whispered in her ear. _I've loved his hands when they were on me, and in me…_

"It's the lighting, honey."

"I don't think so," she walked over to him, and sat on his desk. "Is there something you're not telling me?"

Although he had on a poker face, Elise somehow knew he was trying not to look as nervous as he felt. When he didn't reply, she said "I remember something."

"What is it?" he glanced down at the floor.

"Maybe this happened when I was a child, but I remember being in a crowded room, and everyone was looking at me."

"Oh?"

"They were saying my name, and I was going to… to take them somewhere."

"Where, Elise?"

"Have you ever read that book? The Shadow Isles?"

At this, Jayce's face paled, and his poker face fell for a moment. He quickly regained his composure, but Elise had already seen. Her inner predator had already awoken, or perhaps it had already been awake this entire time.

"It can't be a real place," she said, getting up from his desk and strolling around the room. "But I feel like I have been there before. It feels so… real to me."

"It's a children's story, Elise."

At this, Elise reached over and flicked the lamp off. The room was bathed in moonlight, and she reached over to him, grasping the edges of his lab coat. She could smell his masculine scent. "We've met before, haven't we?"

He closed his eyes, and she reached in and kissed him. It felt natural, and it felt right. His tongue explored her mouth, and she allowed herself to melt in his embrace. She pulled away, breathing heavily. She allowed him to lead her to his bedroom, where he undressed her and laid her on the sheets of his disshelved bed. Her legs spread wide open, he reached in and started to taste her, his tongue flicking over the right places. She groaned, letting her head fall back as his mouth explored her inner depths. His long finger reached up inside of her and started to curl, his nail scratching along the inner walls that no man had ever touched before, except for him.

Breathing heavily, she closed her eyes and let herself melt away. In a few minutes, she felt pleasure building up and let out a cry. At this, he held on even tighter, burying his handsome mouth in between her legs. They lay there for a few moments, panting, and his mouth licked up trace of her. When he finally sat back, licking his lips, she had already fallen asleep.

He reached up, and massaged her breast, before falling aside her and watching her sleep. After a few hours, he woke again. It was still nightfall, and he felt shivers of pleasure running along his body. At the feel of her touch against him, he grinned. She was on top of him, kissing his neck, landing kisses slowly and luxuriously. Finally, she sat up, and positioned her entrance against his member. "Are you ready?" she asked.

"Yes…"

When he slid inside of her, they let out a simultaneous groan. This led into twenty minutes of sheer delight, as he moved in and out of her. The head of his member emerged slightly from her entrance, before sliding right back in, touching against her cervix. He pulled out of her. They had done this before. He made her lay on her stomach as both of his knees were beside her head, and he came on her face. She closed her eyes, licking the traces of him along her lips, and using her fingers to gather up the parts of him that were on her cheeks so she could taste him. After he came, they just sat there for a moment, breathing heavily.

He laid beside her, and soon fell quickly back to sleep, his arm around her. But her eyes were wide open, and they glimmered red in the dark, like rubies gleaming in dark soil.

She had awoken.

Some people say that everyone deserves a second chance, and that people can change. But others, touched and torn by the cruelty and evil in this world, will tell you that nothing ever changes… they will tell you that all beings are evil. You just need to give them the right opportunity, and their ugliness will show.

"What's this?"

Jayce set a plate of scrambled eggs, bacon and toast before Elise. "Breakfast?" he replied, with his usual, handsome grin. She smirked. "You look a little suspicious, dear."

"And why would I look suspicious?"

"Is there something in it?"

She saw a flicker of nervousness in her face, before she picked up the piece of toast and surveyed it. "I don't know," she said. "I kind of like my red eyes, but I feel like you put something in here to give me… well, to give me brown eyes." She flicked her hair back, and gave him a flirtatious smile.

"I like your eyes, no matter what color they are," he replied.

"I think I want to eat something else."

He frowned. "Well, fine," he said, trying not to sound irritated. "What would you like? I'll order it for you."

"No, I can take care of it myself." She stood up from her chair and walked towards the garden. Jayce hastily followed her. She pushed the glass door open, then walked over to one of the bushes. "Elise," Jayce sighed tiredly. "What are you doing?" She held up a finger, before dipping her finger into the soil and pulling out a long, colorful worm. Jayce cringed as Elise started to eat the worm, and her eyes closed shut, as if she were savoring a treat. When they opened, her eyes were blood red, and this sent chills down Jayce's spine. He felt himself backing away.

"Now I want to savor a more delicious treat," she said.

"What's that?"

"Human sacrifice," then, at the look on his face, she laughed. "I'm just kidding…"

She reached out and unzipped his pants. "I think you know what I mean."

His eyes closed and his head tilted as she pulled down the edges of his jeans. She knew now why he had felt so familiar. She had been here before.

They had met many years ago, when Elise had been captured and sent to Jayce's lab for testing. Eventually, they fell in love. But they were not the same 'type' of people, and the Shadow Isles called to her. She ended up leaving. They parted ways for quite a while, until, one day, he captured her again. This time, he gave her a medicine that would erase her memories of the Shadow Isles. This medicine worked temporarily, but soon, she began to regain her memory, and so, he continued erasing her memory… over and over again.

Ms. Bottom had never existed. There was no such thing as Piltover's Charitable.

She would leave again, and this time, he would never find her… but until then, she wanted to enjoy herself. And so, she let her tongue graze along the head of his instrument, tasting the dew that beaded along it. He groaned, letting his head fall back, and he inhaled quickly. "Elise…"

After tasting him, she wrapped her lips around him and started to push her lips downward, until his head hit the back of her throat. Her eyes narrowed, as she felt him close to coming. When he came, she took in every drop of his essence, feeling him slide down the back of her throat. After a moment, she zipped up his pants and stood back up. "Well," she said. "What else is on schedule for today?"

Her red eyes looked back at him, and then, Jayce knew. His dark eyes grew sad, but there was not much surprise in them. "You remember, don't you?"

"You noticed?"

He smiled. "You always did enjoy intimacy."

"You don't?"

He reached out, and grasped tendrils of her shockingly dark hair that trailed along her pale, milky skin. "I love it…" At this, he grasped her waist and pushed her along the counter. She knew she could easily out-dodge him, but allowed herself to be pushed against the cool steel. His fingers traveled between her legs, and soon, his index finger grazed against her clit, rubbing it slowly. In a few moments, he was pushing inside of her as if it was their last day to live, and perhaps it was. She cried out, groaning his name, and let him take control, his large hands grasping her wrists like manacles.

In a few moments, she felt herself shudder with pleasure, and he came inside of her. He put his forehead against hers.

"I guess you're leaving now…"

She closed her eyes. "Let's not talk about it."

"I want to."

"Your friend was right," Elise said, opening her eyes. "We're not the same type of people."

"We don't have to be," Jayce glared. "That's boring, isn't it?" His slim fingers traced along her neck, as she turned her head to look at him. Oh, yes, speaking of Jayce's friend...

"Sure," Elise smiled. "Some people just need to have their views corrected."


End file.
